Wrist watch band



Aug. 14, 1951 D. R. TEMPLEMAN WRIST WATCH BAND Filed Nov. 10, 1949 n l mm all. m

a m m 5 L P M n R. m w 0 FIT TO RNEY Patented Aug. 14, 1951 WRIST WATCHBAND David R. Templeman, Plainville, ConnQassignor to D. R. Templeman00., Plainville, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut ApplicationNovember 10, 1949, Serial No. 126,509

This invention relates to flexible bands for wrist-watches, and moreparticularly to a band of the type which has a series of pivotedinterconnected links in a lazy tongs arrangement, the links beingprovided with springs which tend to 1 Claim. (Cl. .59-79) hold the bandin a longitudinally contracted condition.

When a watch band of the above type is in position upon the wearerswrist, the links thereof are extended to a degree depending upon thelength of the band relative to the circumference of the wrist. Inasmuchas many people consider that the bands make their best appearance whencontracted, with the links disposed close together, the bands heretoforemade were less attractive while being worn than when removed from thewrist.

Accordingly, one object of this invention is to provide a wrist-watchband in which the major part of the expansion of the band will occur ina limited portion of the band, whereby the links which are separated tothe greatest extent may be placed in an inconspicuous position at thelower side of the wrist.

Another object is to provide a band of the above nature in which thesprings in the links which are to be disposed at the top of the wristadjacent the watch will have a greater stiffness than the springs inother portions of the band, whereby the links which are most conspicuouswhile the band is being worn may remain substantially closed, and thenecessary expansion of the band is provided for by the separation of theother links located behind the Wrist.

A further object is to provide a device of the above nature which willbe simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to assembleand manipulate, compact, ornamental in appearance, and very efiicientand durable in use.

With these and other objects in view, there has been illustrated on theaccompanying drawing one form in which the invention may conveniently beembodied in practice.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the improved wrist-watch band with all ofthe links in a contracted condition.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, with the links in the centralportion of the band in separated condition. 4

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View, on a larger scale, showingdifierent portions of the band in which the prings have diii'erentdegrees of stifiness.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken gon the line 44 of Figs. 2 and 3,but on a larger'scale.

Figs. 5- and 6 are views on an enlarged scale. showing respective coilsprings of two diflerent degrees of stiffness, as indicated by differentcolors of the springs.

Figs. 7 and 8 are perspective views, showin respectively an upper linkand a lower link of the wrist-watch band. Referring now to the drawing,in which like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughoutthe several views, the numeral Ill indicates generally the improvedwrist-watch band which comprises a plurality of substantiallyrectangular upper links II (Fig. 7) and a plurality of Z-shaped lowerlinks I2 (Fig. 8), which are provided with central apertures I3, I4,respectively, and are pivotally connected together in pairs by means oftubular eyelets I5 engaged through said apertures.

The opposite ends of the upper links II and the lower links I2 areprovided with pairs of apertures I6, I1, and I8, I9, respectively,inwhich a plurality of tubular eyelets 20 smaller than the eyelets I5are loosely located and secured in such a manner as to pivotally connectthe adjacent ends of the pairs of links in a lazy tongs arrangement.

As indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the band I0 com prises a central section2|, and two end sections 22, 23, each of which comprises a plurality ofthe connected links II, I2 and tends to contract longitudinall so thatthe links will be in a closed condition, as shown in Fig. 1.

In order to provide the necessary resilient contracting force in theband Ill, provision is made of a plurality of wire coilo'springs 24, anda plurality of wire coil. springs 25 which are like the springs 24excepting as to be gauge of the wire therein, whereby the springs25fwill have a somewhat smaller degree of, stiffness than the springs24. The springs 24, 25 are of a suitable size to be' received within theeyelets I5, and are so arranged in said eyelets that one of the rela'tively stifi springs 24 will be located in each eyelet I5 in the outerband sections 22, 23, while one of the relatively resilient springs 25will be located in each of the eyelets I5 in the central band section2|.

In order to connect the coil springs 24, 25, operatively, to the linksII, I2, said springs include outwardly-extending upper ends 26, 21 andlower ends 28, 29, respectively (Figs. 5 and 6). The upper links IIinclude symmetrical pairs of ears 3!) extending oppositely in aclockwise direction, while the lower links I2 include symmetrical pairsc t-ears 3| extending oppositely in a counterclockwise direction (Figs.7 and 8),

so arranged that each of the upper spring ends 26, 21 are engaged behindone of the ears 30 of the links I l while each of the lower spring ends28, 29 is engaged behind one of the ears 3| of the lower links l2.

Thus, each of the springs 24, 25 will be placed under a resilienttension which will tend to swing the lower links l2 into alignment withthe upper links I l, and thus constantly urge the band to a closed orcontracted position.

The arrangement of the ears 30, 3| in symmetrical opposed pairs upon thelinks II, and. upon the links I2, respectively, is to facilitate theassembly operation, and each of the spring ends 26, 21, 28, 29 will, ofcourse, be engaged with only one of said ears.

In view of the foregoing, it will be apparent that whenever the band I0is stretched the links in the central section 2| will be caused toseparate first because of the relative weakness of the coil springs25the two outer sections 22, 23 remaining in a contracted conditionuntil the band ID has been stretched to a predetermined point. The forceof the relatively stiff springs 24 may then be overcome and the endsections 22, 23 may be extended.

-Thc relatively different extended conditions of the end sections 22,23, and the central sectibn 2|, as illustrated in Fig. 2, for example,will, of course, be permitted by the relatively loose flt of the eyelets20 in the link apertures l8, H, is, and 19, whereby the upper and lowerlinks... and 12 may assume non-parallel positions when necessary at theadjacent ends of 3'5 respective sections 2!, 22, 23 (see Figs. 2 a). v

It will be understood that the relative characteristicsv of the coilsprings 24, 25 may, of

course, bevaried as desired by the manufacturer.

In practice, however, it is found that very satisfactory operation maybe obtained when each of. the springs 24, 25 has seven turns of finespring steelwire, the wire in the springs 24 being .013, in thickness,while the wire in the springs is .012" in thickness.

Because of the very minute structural differences between the springs 24and the springs 25, the confusion which would otherwise occur during theassembling operation is avoided by means of thin dye or lacquer coatingsof distinguishing colors. For example, the springs 24 may be providedwith a yellow coating, and the springs 25 may be provided with a redcoating as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6.

Ihe coatings may be applied in any suitable 'mannen asfor example byspraying or dipping, this operation being performed as a step in themanufacture of the springs and prior to the occurrence of anypossibility of mixing them.

' In order to provide the band [0 with a finished appearance, aplurality. of ornamental cover shells 32 are crimped over the edges ofthe upper links H, while a plurality of back shells 33 are crimped overthe edges of the lower links [2.

Operation After the opposite ends of the band have been attached to awrist-watch, the resilience of the band will permit it to be expanded soas to pass over the wearers hand into wearing position upon the wrist.

When the band I0 is thus expanded, the central section 2|, of course,will expand first, and if further expansion is necessary, the springs 24will permit the end sections 22, 23 to be expanded. When the band I0 isin position upon the wrist, the end or outer sections 22, 23, willcontract because of the relatively greater stiffness of the yellow coilsprings 24, and the necessary resiliency for maintaining the band insnug wearing positionupon the wrist will thereafter be provided in thecentral section 2| alone.

Inasmuch as the end sections 22, 23 will be in the most conspicuouspositions at the top and sides of the wrist, and the more-easilyseparated links of the central section 2| will.be disposed at the lowerside of the wrist, little, if any, separation between the links of theband ID will be apparent to an observer.

' While there has been disclosed in this specification one form in whichthe invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that this form isshown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention isnot to be limited to the specific disclosure, but may be modified andembodied in various other forms without departing from its'spirit. Inshort, the invention includes all the modifications and embodimentscoming Within the scope of the following claim.

Having thus fully described the invention, what 'is' claimed as new, andfor which it is desired to secure Letters Patent, is:

' In a wrist-watch band, a plurality of pairs of pivoted links arrangedin a series and interconnected in a lazy tongs arrangement, each of saidpairs of links being provided with a spring for urging said links intoclosed relation, the springs in the outer end sections of the bandhaving a higher degree of stillness than the springs in the centralsection of the band, whereby an initial'expansion of the band may occurentirely in said central section, while said end sections remain in acontracted condition.

DAVID R. TEMPLEMAN.

The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,444,684 Vastano July 6, 19482,515,817 Augenstein July 18, 1950'v

